--- title: "The Semantics of Locative Adpositions in — Asaye 2021" description: "The article describes how Amharic expresses static location." authors: ["Gashaw Arutie Asaye"] year: 2021 venue: "Aethiopica 23" source: "https://journals.sub.uni-hamburg.de/aethiopica/article/view/1484" doi: "10.15460/aethiopica.23.0.1484" licence: "CC BY-SA (journal licence per DOAJ; Aethiopica)" licence_url: "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" summary_licence: "Elamur Cosmic License" canonical: "https://research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/asaye-2021-semantics-locative-adpositions-amharic/" --- [Elamur Research](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/asaye-2021-semantics-locative-adpositions-amharic/) [home](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [papers](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/) / [2021](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/2021/page/5/) / The Semantics of Locative Adpositions in Amharic # The Semantics of Locative Adpositions in Amharic **Authors:** [Gashaw Arutie Asaye](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/authors/gashaw-arutie-asaye/) · **Institutions:** [Bahir Dar University](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/universities/bahir-dar-university/) · **Year:** 2021 · **Venue:** Aethiopica 23 · **Licence:** [CC BY-SA (journal licence per DOAJ; Aethiopica)](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Links:** [Publisher's page](https://doi.org/10.15460/aethiopica.23.0.1484) · [PDF](https://journals.sub.uni-hamburg.de/aethiopica/article/download/1484/1499) · [DOI 10.15460/aethiopica.23.0.1484](https://doi.org/10.15460/aethiopica.23.0.1484) · [OpenAlex](https://openalex.org/W3156953247) **Citations:** 1 citations (OpenAlex, 2026-10-14) ## Summary The article describes how Amharic expresses static location. It focuses on answers to where-questions about a figure (the located thing) relative to a ground (the reference object), following Levinson and Wilkins' notion of topological relations. Data came mainly from elicitation with the Bowerman and Pederson topological relations picture series (TRPS), given to fifteen native speakers from core Amhara regions. A few examples come from the author's own intuitions as a native speaker. All examples are glossed with the Leipzig rules. The typical sentence has three parts: - a figure noun phrase, - an adpositional phrase built from a general preposition, a more specific postposition, or both, - a copula or a locative verb. The general prepositions mark location without saying anything about its shape. The postpositions carry the real spatial content: contact, containment, encirclement, edge, centre, proximity and region. Amharic uses two copulas plus a "be found" verb, and these compete about equally in locative sentences. The author argues that this pattern does not fit Ameka and Levinson's typology of locative predicates. The work adds a fine-grained semantic inventory for an under-described language. ## Key points - Consultants were 8 male and 7 female native speakers. Stimuli came from TRPS (pictures cited by number, e.g. TRPS 01, 19, 59). The article appeared in Aethiopica 23 (2020), pp. 168–187. - Prepositions: - kǝ- and ɨ- both mean "at" and carry no topological detail. They alternate freely before consonant-initial grounds, but only kǝ- appears before vowel-initial grounds. - bǝ- mostly combines with verbs of adhesion or encirclement, or marks a container. - Postpositions: laj (on/at), wɨst' (inside), wɨtʃ'tʃ' (outside), zurija (around), sɨr (under), dar (edge), mǝhal (centre), tʃ'af (tip), rasge/anat (top), gɨrge (bottom/foot), ga (at, small region), t'ɨgg (next to), at'ǝgǝb (near), ak'rabbija (vicinity). Each is defined by semantic conditions on the figure–ground relation. - Verbs: - copulas nǝ- "be" and all- "exist", with the suppletive past nǝbbǝr-; - the locative verb jɨggǝɲɲall "be found". Because the language has more than one copula used locatively, it falls outside Ameka and Levinson's Types 0–III. - The two kinds of adposition differ in how much they matter: - When both occur, the preposition attaches to the ground first and the postposition takes the whole phrase. Yet the preposition can be dropped with no change in meaning. - Dropping the postposition makes the sentence infelicitous, unless the ground is a small place such as home, market or school. There even a bare noun answering a where-question is read as a location. ## Interesting ideas - Some elements sit structurally closer to the noun but contribute almost no meaning (the general "at" prepositions), while the outer element carries the spatial relation, so syntactic closeness should not decide semantic weight. — For Mova (frames): When mapping English complex prepositions like "on top of" or "at the edge of" into frame roles, key the spatial relation on the contentful head noun or particle rather than on the light preposition attached nearest the ground. - Each spatial marker is defined by explicit conditions (contact vs. none, covered vs. uncovered, encircling without touching, vertical vs. horizontal extension), turning vague word meanings into checkable feature bundles. — For Mova (world): Store "on", "in", "around", "under" and "next to" as feature sets on figure–ground pairs, so the world model can infer consequences (e.g. support, containment) and explain each one. - A fixed, numbered picture battery gives controlled, comparable coverage of spatial scenes across speakers and languages. — For Mova (learn): Build a similar fixed scene set as a regression benchmark for spatial reading and generation, with deliberately mismatched scene–sentence pairs as negative controls. - Some grounds are construed by body-like parts: a bed has a head end and a foot end, which licenses words like "top" or "foot of" for it. — For Mova (world): Add intrinsic orientation attributes (head/foot, top/bottom, front) to ontology entries for objects like beds and trees, so phrases such as "at the foot of the bed" resolve to a concrete region. - A bare noun reply ("home") becomes a location purely because the question asked "where", showing that the question type licenses elliptical answers. — For Mova (answer): When reading dialogues or checking short answers, use the preceding wh-word to assign a role (location, time, agent) to fragment replies instead of rejecting them as incomplete. *Our summary of the paper, in our own words — not its text. The work belongs to its authors; read it at the links above.* Fields: [Linguistics & languages](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/shelves/linguistics/) Topics: [Semitic languages](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/topics/semitic-languages/) ## Cite The paper itself, not this page. BibTeX from the library's record of the work. ```bibtex @inproceedings{asaye2021semantics, title = {{The Semantics of Locative Adpositions in Amharic}}, author = {Asaye, Gashaw Arutie}, booktitle = {Aethiopica 23}, year = {2021}, doi = {10.15460/aethiopica.23.0.1484}, url = {https://doi.org/10.15460/aethiopica.23.0.1484} } ``` - [← previous Resolving Prepositional Phrase Attachment Ambiguities with Contextualized Word Embeddings](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/aclbulk-2021-ratnaparkhi-resolving-prepositional-phrase-attachment-ambiguities/) - [next → Thematic role assignment in non-default verb classes: A cross-linguistic comparison of English and German](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/kyriaki-2021-thematic-role-assignment-non-default/) - [↑ back to papers of 2021](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/2021/page/5/) ## References 17 references, 1 of them with a card of ours. ↗ leads to the work, «find» searches for one we have no id for yet. 1. Ameka, F. K. and S. C. Levinson 2007. ‘Introduction: The typology and semantics of locative predicates: posturals, positionals, and other beasts’, Linguistics, 45/5/6 (2007), 847–871. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Ameka%2C+F%2E+K%2E+and+S%2E+C%2E+Levinson+2007%2E+%E2%80%98Introduction%3A+The+typology+and+semantics+of+locative+predicates%3A+posturals%2C+positionals%2C+and+other+beasts%E2%80%99%2C+Linguistics%2C+45%2F5%2F6+%282007%29%2C+847%E2%80%93871%2E) 2. Amsalu Aklilu and Habte Mariam Markos 1973. ‘Regional Variations in Amharic: The Dialect of Wällo’, Journal of Ethiopian Studies, 11/2 (1973), 124–129. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Amsalu+Aklilu+and+Habte+Mariam+Markos+1973%2E+%E2%80%98Regional+Variations+in+Amharic%3A+The+Dialect+of+W%C3%A4llo%E2%80%99%2C+Journal+of+Ethiopian+Studies%2C+11%2F2+%281973%29%2C+124%E2%80%93129%2E) 3. Anbessa Tefera 2013. ‘Differences Between the Amharic Dialects of Gondar and Addis Ababa’, in T. Parfitt and E. Trevisan Semi, eds, The Beta Israel in Ethiopia and Israel: Studies on the Ethiopian Jews (Abingdon–New York, NY: Routledge, 2013), 257–263. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Anbessa+Tefera+2013%2E+%E2%80%98Differences+Between+the+Amharic+Dialects+of+Gondar+and+Addis+Ababa%E2%80%99%2C+in+T%2E+Parfitt+and+E%2E+Trevisan+Semi%2C+eds%2C+The+Beta+Israel+in+Ethiopia+and+Israel%3A+Studies+on+the+Ethiopian+Jew) 4. Anbessa Teferra and G. Hudson 2007. Essentials of Amharic (Köln: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag, 2007). [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Anbessa+Teferra+and+G%2E+Hudson+2007%2E+Essentials+of+Amharic+%28K%C3%B6ln%3A+R%C3%BCdiger+K%C3%B6ppe+Verlag%2C+2007%29%2E) 5. Baker, M. C. and R. Kramer 2014. ‘Rethinking Amharic prepositions as case markers inserted at PF’, Lingua, 145 (2014), 141–172. Bayǝ Yɨmam 2016–2017. የአማርኛ ሰዋስው (Jǝʔamarɨɲɲa sǝwasɨw, ‘Grammar of Amharic’), 3rd edn (Addis Abǝba: Addis Ababa University B.E. Press, 2016–2017). Baye Yimam [Bayǝ Yɨmam] 2017. Deictics in Amharic (unpublished paper, 2017). [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Baker%2C+M%2E+C%2E+and+R%2E+Kramer+2014%2E+%E2%80%98Rethinking+Amharic+prepositions+as+case+markers+inserted+at+PF%E2%80%99%2C+Lingua%2C+145+%282014%29%2C+141%E2%80%93172%2E+Bay%C7%9D+Y%C9%A8mam+2016%E2%80%932017%2E+%E1%8B%A8%E1%8A%A0%E1%88%9B%E1%88%AD%E1%8A%9B+%E1%88%B0%E1%8B%8B%E1%88%B5%E1%8B%8D+%28J%C7%9D%CA%94amar%C9%A8%C9%B2%C9%B2a+s%C7%9Dwas%C9%A8w%2C+%E2%80%98Grammar+of+Amhar) 6. Bowerman, M. and E. Pederson 1992. ‘Topological relations picture series’, Space stimuli kit (version 1.2), 51 (1992), [http://fieldmanuals.mpi.nl/volumes/1992/bowped/](http://fieldmanuals.mpi.nl/volumes/1992/bowped/). [↗](http://fieldmanuals.mpi.nl/volumes/1992/bowped/) 7. Girma Awgichew Demeke 2001. ‘The Ethio-Semitic Languages (Re-examining the Classification)’, Journal of Ethiopian Studies, 34/2 (2001), 57–93. — 2009. The Origin of Amharic, LINCOM Studies in Afroasiatic Linguistics, 28 (Addis Ababa: Centre Français d’Études Éthiopiennes, 2009). [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Girma+Awgichew+Demeke+2001%2E+%E2%80%98The+Ethio%2DSemitic+Languages+%28Re%2Dexamining+the+Classification%29%E2%80%99%2C+Journal+of+Ethiopian+Studies%2C+34%2F2+%282001%29%2C+57%E2%80%9393%2E+%E2%80%94+2009%2E+The+Origin+of+Amharic%2C+LINCOM+Studies+in+Afroasia) 8. Gragg, G. and R. Hoberman 2012. ‘Semitic’, in Z. Frajzyngier and E. Shay, eds, The Afroasiatic Languages, Cambridge Language Surveys (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012), 145–235. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Gragg%2C+G%2E+and+R%2E+Hoberman+2012%2E+%E2%80%98Semitic%E2%80%99%2C+in+Z%2E+Frajzyngier+and+E%2E+Shay%2C+eds%2C+The+Afroasiatic+Languages%2C+Cambridge+Language+Surveys+%28Cambridge%3A+Cambridge+University+Press%2C+2012%29%2C+145%E2%80%93235%2E) 9. Hailu Fulass and Fisseha Sisay 1973. ‘Regional Variations in Amharic: The Dialect of Mänz’, Journal of Ethiopian Studies, 11/2 (1973), 120–124. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Hailu+Fulass+and+Fisseha+Sisay+1973%2E+%E2%80%98Regional+Variations+in+Amharic%3A+The+Dialect+of+M%C3%A4nz%E2%80%99%2C+Journal+of+Ethiopian+Studies%2C+11%2F2+%281973%29%2C+120%E2%80%93124%2E) 10. Hetzron, R. 1970. ‘Toward an Amharic case-grammar’, Studies in African Linguistics, 1/3 (1970), 301–354. — 1972. Ethiopian Semitic: Studies in Classification, Journal of Semitic Studies, Monograph, 2 (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1972). [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Hetzron%2C+R%2E+1970%2E+%E2%80%98Toward+an+Amharic+case%2Dgrammar%E2%80%99%2C+Studies+in+African+Linguistics%2C+1%2F3+%281970%29%2C+301%E2%80%93354%2E+%E2%80%94+1972%2E+Ethiopian+Semitic%3A+Studies+in+Classification%2C+Journal+of+Semitic+Studies%2C+Monograph%2C+2+) 11. Hudson, G. 1997. ‘Amharic and Argobba’, in R. Hetzron, ed., The Semitic Languages, Routledge Language Family Descriptions (Abingdon–New York, NY: Routledge, 1997), 457–485. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Hudson%2C+G%2E+1997%2E+%E2%80%98Amharic+and+Argobba%E2%80%99%2C+in+R%2E+Hetzron%2C+ed%2E%2C+The+Semitic+Languages%2C+Routledge+Language+Family+Descriptions+%28Abingdon%E2%80%93New+York%2C+NY%3A+Routledge%2C+1997%29%2C+457%E2%80%93485%2E) 12. Leslau, W. 1995. Reference Grammar of Amharic (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 1995). [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Leslau%2C+W%2E+1995%2E+Reference+Grammar+of+Amharic+%28Wiesbaden%3A+Harrassowitz+Verlag%2C+1995%29%2E) 13. Levinson, S. C. and D. Wilkins 2006a. ‘Patterns in the data: Towards semantic typology of spatial description’, in S. C. Levinson and D. Wilkins, eds, Grammars of Space: Explorations in Cognitive Diversity, Language, culture & cognition (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006), 512–552. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Levinson%2C+S%2E+C%2E+and+D%2E+Wilkins+2006a%2E+%E2%80%98Patterns+in+the+data%3A+Towards+semantic+typology+of+spatial+description%E2%80%99%2C+in+S%2E+C%2E+Levinson+and+D%2E+Wilkins%2C+eds%2C+Grammars+of+Space%3A+Explorations+in+Cognitive+Dive) 14. Aethiopica 23 (2020) The Semantics of Locative Adpositions in Amharic — 2006b. ‘The background to the study of the language of space’, in S. C. Levinson and D. Wilkins, eds, Grammars of Space: Explorations in Cognitive Diversity, Language, culture & cognition (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006), 1–23. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Aethiopica+23+%282020%29+The+Semantics+of+Locative+Adpositions+in+Amharic+%E2%80%94+2006b%2E+%E2%80%98The+background+to+the+study+of+the+language+of+space%E2%80%99%2C+in+S%2E+C%2E+Levinson+and+D%2E+Wilkins%2C+eds%2C+Grammars+of+Space%3A+Explora) [our card](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/asaye-2021-semantics-locative-adpositions-amharic/) 15. Meyer, R. 2006. ‘Amharic as lingua franca in Ethiopia’, ልሳን. Lissan, 20/1–2 (2006), 117– 131 (= Special issue dedicated to Renate Richter on the occasions of her 65 th birthday). — 2011a. ‘The Role of Amharic as a National Language and an African lingua franca’, in S. Weninger, ed., in collaboration with G. Khan, M. P. Streck, and J. C. E. Watson, The Semitic Languages: An International Handbook, Handbücher zur Sprach-und Kommunikationswissenschaft, 36 (Berlin–Boston, MA: De Gruyter Mouton, 2011), 1212–1220. — 2011b. ‘Amharic’, in S. Weninger, ed., in collaboration with G. Khan, M. P. Streck, and J. C. E. Watson, The Semitic Languages: An International Handbook, Handbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft, 36 (Berlin–Boston, MA: De Gruyter Mouton, 2011), 1178–1212. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Meyer%2C+R%2E+2006%2E+%E2%80%98Amharic+as+lingua+franca+in+Ethiopia%E2%80%99%2C+%E1%88%8D%E1%88%B3%E1%8A%95%2E+Lissan%2C+20%2F1%E2%80%932+%282006%29%2C+117%E2%80%93+131+%28%3D+Special+issue+dedicated+to+Renate+Richter+on+the+occasions+of+her+65+th+birthday%29%2E+%E2%80%94+2011a%2E+%E2%80%98The+Role+of) 16. Population Census Commission 2008. Summary and Statistical Report of the 2007 Population and Housing Census: Population Size by Age and Sex (Addis Ababa: United Nations Population Fund, 2008). [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Population+Census+Commission+2008%2E+Summary+and+Statistical+Report+of+the+2007+Population+and+Housing+Census%3A+Population+Size+by+Age+and+Sex+%28Addis+Ababa%3A+United+Nations+Population+Fund%2C+2008%29%2E) 17. Zelealem Leyew 2007. ‘The Amharic dialects revisited’, in R. Voigt, ed., “From Beyond the Mediterranean”: Akten des 7. internationalen Semitohamitistenkongresses (VII. ISHaK), Berlin 13. bis 15. September 2004, Semitica et Semitohamitica Berolinensia, 5 (Aachen: Shaker Verlag, 2007), 449–480. Summary [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Zelealem+Leyew+2007%2E+%E2%80%98The+Amharic+dialects+revisited%E2%80%99%2C+in+R%2E+Voigt%2C+ed%2E%2C+%E2%80%9CFrom+Beyond+the+Mediterranean%E2%80%9D%3A+Akten+des+7%2E+internationalen+Semitohamitistenkongresses+%28VII%2E+ISHaK%29%2C+Berlin+13%2E+bis+15%2E+Septe)